Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to license plate frames, and more particularly to a license plate frame having a xe2x80x9cframe-within-a-framexe2x80x9d that allows a toy license plate to be mounted within the license plate frame without obscuring a design printed on a front plate surface of the toy license plate.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art includes various license plate frames for holding license plates onto automobiles. The prior art frames tend to be simple frames having a wide and decorative front surface. The license plate and the license plate frame are both attached to an automobile with a simple fastening mechanism such as a pair of screws. Since ordinary license plates include a plain border around the perimeter, it is acceptable for the perimeter of the license plate to be obscured by the wide border of the license plate frame. Examples of such prior art frames are shown in Bott, U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,838, Spencer, U.S. Des. 331,217, and Steinhagen, U.S. Des. 428,374.
Toy license plates are also known in the art. These toys are typically constructed of rectangular plastic sheets that are approximately 2{fraction (1/4 )} inches by 4 inches. Since the toy license plates are not typically placed in license plate frames, the design printed on their front surface typically extends to the edge of the toy license plate. If the toy license plate is then placed in a frame, a large portion of the design is obscured from view, especially since the license plate frame must have a wide front surface in order to look good.
The prior art teaches toy license plates and license plate frames. However, the prior art does not teach a license plate frame having a xe2x80x9cframe-within-a-framexe2x80x9d that allows a toy license plate to be mounted within the license plate frame without obscuring the design printed on the front of the toy license plate. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The present invention provides a license plate frame for use, in combination, with a toy license plate, includes upper and lower horizontally extending sections and vertically disposed end sections extending between and integrally connected to the opposite ends of the horizontally extending sections. Each of the horizontally extending sections and end sections has a frontal wall that is substantially parallel to the plane of the license plate frame, and an outer enclosure wall extending rearwardly from the plane of the license plate frame. The frontal walls have a front surface and an opposing rear surface. The front and rear surfaces each terminate at an inner edge and an outer edge. The inner edges cooperate to form a display aperture. An inner frame wall extending rearwardly from the rear surface of each of the frontal walls, between the inner edge and the outer enclosure wall. At least two plate retaining flanges extend inwardly from the inner frame terminal edge. The license plate frame is shaped to receive a toy license plate having a front plate surface printed with a design, such that the design is displayed through the display aperture.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a license plate frame having advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide a license plate frame having an inner frame wall, a xe2x80x9cframe-within-a-framexe2x80x9d, to frame the toy license plate without obscuring the design.
A further objective is to provide a license plate frame that provides a visually appealing, well proportioned front surface.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.